How to Eliminate Washer Odor

10 years ago

I posted a comment back in the fall of last year regarding a product named Washer Fan that does a great job of eliminating washer odor and smells in laundry. In less than 1 week the Washer Fan got rid of whatever it was that caused my Whirlpool Duet to stink.

I want to report that my neighbor's just out of warranty washer had a horrible smell and was told by the appliance repair company that there was no solution - she would have to get a new washer. I told my neighbor that I would lend her my Washer Fan to see if it would clear up the smell. Well, it took 3 weeks but her washer now smells as good as the day she bought it. She has ordered a Washer Fan and couldn't be happier.

I can't praise Washer Fan enough for their innovative product!

This post was edited by rivera2419 on Sat, Apr 26, 14 at 21:32

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Comments (6)

mr._jms
10 years ago
For front loading washers, ALWAYS wipe out the boot and leave the door OPEN so that it will dry out after each use. If you close the door, it will form a tight seal. All that moisture/water left in the machine/boot is a perfect breeding ground for mold/mildew.
scpalmetto
9 years ago
Clorox makes a washer cleaner that has worked very well for me, it is in a silver bottle. I use it about once a month and it seems to clean out all the gunk that accumulates around the rim. I do leave a small microfiber cloth hanging over the rim between washes so the door can never close completely.
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dave1812
9 years ago
just leave the door open and always dry out the boot and remove the soap dispenser after the last wash load of the day. never leave wet things in the washer overnight. it's not rocket science to keep a front loader from smelling.

(and don't use tons of detergent and/or FS, as that will build up between the inner and outer drum and make a breeding ground for bacteria)
PRO
Whitelacey
9 years ago
I tried everything to get rid of my washer stink, Nothing worked until I tried one cup of bleach and one cup of Cascade dishwasher detergent. Use the hottest, longest cycle. It works great and I've been stink free for about three years now.
I always leave the door open and I haven't had to repeat the cleaning process.

Linda
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
9 years ago
I always leave the door partly open and the detergent drawer open to dry out.
But if you have a problem you can buy this little fan that runs on batteries and leave it in the washer with the door cracked after the last wash. It doesn't take long to circulate some air through it and help dry it.
I originally bought this fan for the refrigerator in our RV, it works great and we leave it running the entire trip so the battery life is good.
It cost under $15.00, ours has lasted years.
Just remember to turn the little fan off and remove it before you do your next load of laundry.
There's also some good YouTube videos on how to clean machine well including the drain on the bottom front.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fan
sean_m
9 years ago
I currently have 3 FL washers, 14 years old, 10 years old, and 5 years old respectively. Never had an issue with odor in them. And all of these FLs are in Florida. If I'm not home, the spaces are minimally air conditioned.

I'm with the others -- leave the door ajar when you're not using it. I also don't use fabric softener.

Not sure how relevant the latter is, but I know I've seen mold/mildew growing in fabric softener dispensers in other washers, so I throw this out there. Makes some sense -- fabric softener is basically animal fat. Plenty of nutrients there and it's often added during the last rinse to a washer, so it's left in the drum.